KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP, MI —One of the top elementary school principals in Michigan is a Saginaw Valley State University graduate.

The Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association named Kurt Sutton its Outstanding Practicing Principal for 2013. Since 2006, he's worked as the principal in Krause Later Elementary School in Armada, in Macomb County.

Sutton, a Brimley native, is a 2002 SVSU graduate and earned his master's degree in educational leadership.

"To be recognized for this is very humbling and unbelievable," Sutton said. "There are so many deserving people."

Sutton said SVSU's Macomb Regional Education Center in Chesterfield provided him with real-life examples in education.

"For me, it went beyond research — it went into the actual practice of what should be done," he said.

Sutton learned of the award at the National Association of Elementary School Principals' annual gathering in Washington, D.C., in October. He realized he won the award when the speak started listing his accomplishments. Sutton's family met him in the assembly hall as a surprise.

The judge listed Sutton's open door initiative that encourages students to visit his office as one of his points of leadership.

— Lindsay Knake covers education for MLive/The Saginaw News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com.